WITH six weeks left before Christmas, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Cebu noted no movement in prices of majority of noche buena items this year.
Zaide Bation, chief of DTI Cebu’s consumer welfare division, said the Suggested Retail Prices (SRP) of most these items were the same as in 2015.
“There are some items whose prices increased, but this is barely noticeable. Majority of the items maintained their prices from last year,” she told Cebu Daily News.
DTI Cebu released a copy of the SRP list of noche buena items last Oct. 31, but only furnished a copy to CDN on Monday.
Noche buena items, which are ingredients used for Christmas meals, include ham, spaghetti pasta, elbow and salad macaroni, cheese, mayonnaise, sandwich spread, tomato sauce, and creamer.
DTI only noted an average increase in ham and fruit cocktail prices, depending on brand and size, at P11 and P1.92, respectively.
The rest of the products maintained their prices.
The SRP of ham is from P135 to P745, depending on brand and weight, while spaghetti pasta prices range from P15.25 to P87.10, also depending on brand and weight.
Tomato sauce can be bought for P11.80 to P74.45, sandwich spread from 10-peso pouches to big 196-peso bottles, and cheese from P44.50 to P588.50, depending on type, brand, and weight.
Elbow and salad macaroni, at 200 grams, is priced at P15.25 to P32.50 while the same item at 400 grams to 1 kilogram range from P29.40 to P93.45.
The price of creamer, on the other hand, is at P41.65 to 67.50, depending on brand and size.
Bation said that what DTI saw in this year’s price list was that more manufacturers submitted the SRPs for their products.
She said this showed that more traders support the initiatives of government and recognize the mandate of DTI.
SRPs apply both to supermarkets and wet markets, unless specified. DTI will provide these establishments SRP posters to be posted in their vicinities.
As a tip, Bation said consumers should check the expiry date and price tag of items before purchase.
She added that buyers should also compare the weight and prices of competing brands to ensure that they get the best value out of their money.
Furthermore, she encouraged consumers to ensure that the shelf price and the price tag of a particular item are the same.
“If there are discrepancies, they may notify DTI so we can conduct enforcement,” said Bation.
Profiteering is punishable under Republic Act No. 7851 or the Price Act, as amended, and violators may be fined up to P1 million and face six months imprisonment.